The Child of War
by Master Solitarius
Summary: Every war comes in many forms, ranging from the thousands employed by nations to the dozens by bandits and raiders. Every war brings consequences, some total annihilation of an entire people, but some give birth to leaders to change the world forever.
1. Blessed By The Stars

_Under the eternal guidance of the star,  
with the radiance of the sun,  
blessed by the wisdom of the wolves,  
and the strength of the lions,  
a leader shall arrive to save us all,  
a conqueror shall be born to unite us all._

For years, a land ancient has been the subject of tyranny and warfare. The fields devastated by the passing armies and its citizens enslaved or slain like wild beasts by bandits and raiders. The wars never seemed to stop as each kingdom declared war unto another in their eternal attempts to gain more lands. Little did they care for the people who truly suffered under their regimes.

Ranging from the horsemen of the Khergit Khanate, to the crossbowmen of the Kingdom of Swadia, past the fierce swordsmen of the Nords, passing the flying arrows from the Kingdom of Vaegirs to the spears of the armies of Rhodok, the five kingdoms spent the riches and lives of millions in a seemingly eternal struggle.

In a small village a young man looks to an eternal blue sky, wondering what the clouds could mean. The minutes fly by, but his duty remains. Looking around, it is obvious that the village had a small, but bloody history. Mere months before he and his family, along with a couple of hundred farmers from other villages, were relocated after the previous inhabitants were slaughtered by bandits.

An old man walks up to him from behind. "A tragic end for the innocent, but alas a part of everyone's life". "It isn't right, somebody should do something about it!" The old man smiled as he heard the fierce determination in the young man's voice, but knew deep in his heart that nothing could be done. Nothing but accept the dangers life throws at them, whether they like it or not.

Such is the way the villagers have lived for what seemed to be centuries and so it appears to continue. The old man walked past him, preparing himself to work on the fields again. The grain was ripe and it would not take long for their Lord to demand his share. Everyone knew they had to have something or they'd face a harsh punishment.

"You're wrong father. Something _can_ be done. The future is ours to make, it is ours to take and it is up to us to shape it." After a long hard day of work the villagers returned their harvest to a stockpile and assigned to villagers to guard it for the night whilst the rest returned to their houses to get a good sleep. It was truly a hard life.

Yet whilst all slept peacefully under the shining stars, one could not close his eyes and find rest. The thoughts of suffering of the innocent and the incompetence of the Lords felt like a colony of ants finding a way into his clothes. It annoyed the young soul, especially since there was so little he could do. What was his future going to be?

And as the night arrived by the stars, the day was brought by the sun in the morning. Most of the fields had been emptied of all that could be found and tension was amongst the face of every villager. It would be mere days before their Lord's lackeys would arrive to collect the harvest, but the risk of a raid increased every hour as well, for the harvest was a tempting target to all.

"I swear it's like walking around with a marker on our asses for every bandit out there" Chuckles and soft laughing could be heard by several villagers in the crowd. "Jonathan, are you suggesting we should paint it blue instead?" The laughing only increased and it became much louder. It was good to see people laugh, even if it only happened once in a while.

"Let's see if you're still a smart ass like that if one of them bandits shoots an arrow in it!" At that point the laughing increased again. It was truly a happy day for everyone. With the good mood hanging in every corner of the village, the work was quickly finished and all they had to do was wait until their Lord would arrive.

And again, a day passed. Instead of walking around the village, attending to other small things to take care of, every villager flocked to the house of a young woman near the southern exit. She had her child the last night and it appeared the child appeared to be carrying some magical dust, as everyone wanted to hold it.

The day was sent celebrating the arrival of the young new one in the world. Villagers attempted to use whatever materials they could to make presents. Though they were not the same quality as the fancy gifts bought in stores, the fact that everyone went through so much effort made the woman truly happy with ease.

Life had it's great moments.


	2. The Fallen Warrior

"Father, I must ask of you, what is to become of the child born in such a terrible world?" "There is always hope, hope for better lives and a better world. For that alone, there is much to become of the newborn child." Many had asked themselves what would become of the child. Even the mother herself found herself wondering what would become of it.

But the future seemed safe and no-one seemed to be afraid. A soft breeze of wind passed through the village every couple of hours, bring a desired cooling effect on the people working under the harsh warmth of the sun. Wiping his forehead, he looked up with a hand covering his eyes. "May the light of the sun bless us all."

As the sun moved across the sky, bring the mid day, people saw others arrive at from the north. Three men dressed in the fanciest of clothes, accompanied by a large squad of spearmen and archers, were marching at a steady rate towards the small village. To the surprise of everyone the three men were quite polite, albeit a tad arrogant.

Looking around the village, the simple yet peaceful life was seen with ease. "My Lord sent me to collect his share of the harvest." Without a word spoken, the villagers all marched to their stockpile and started loading the carts the men brought with them. Even the soldiers accompanying them were helping them load.

Within the hour the carts were full and the village had contributed their share to their Lord. The men however did not leave yet. One of the man, dressed in a red robe with and colourful patches approached the village elder and asked if it would none would mind them spending the night that was close by.

And the elder agreed, for the soldiers would be an appreciated protection against any bandit foolish enough to attack them now. As the men were granted the finest rooms, the soldiers set out camp just outside the village, patrolling through both village and camp every hour to make sure safety was always present.

It was not long before the young man started talking with one of the experienced veterans of the army. Introductions were made as the young man introduced himself as Achaenas, son of the village elder. The veteran carried the name Licinus, as he descended from a family once considered to be nobles, but fell out of the King's grace after a failed attempt to conquer the Swadian city of Suno.

Indeed, the consequences for failure could be harsh, as in a war all were expected to win in the name of their King. His family soon spread to the many corners of the world. Some would become bandits, preying on the weak, whilst others lend out their swords and bows for the right amount of money. Licinus chose to support one of the Lords however in attempt to restore his family name.

Without a name, he was a mere soldier, not different from all the others. And as the two talked all night, the veteran learned much about the village and its history, whilst Achaenas learned much about the soldiers and the battles that often occurred. For someone who lived his entire life in villages and peace, the concept of warfare was unusually intriguing for the young man.

The eyes were burning with passion as the tales of victories became greater with the second. A tale about how a certain Lord managed to defeat almost 25000 soldiers with a much smaller group of 10000 soldiers. It was a victory that brought much prestige to the soldiers and their leaders, as their names and the story of the battle were to be told throughout the land.

The two were the only ones seemingly interested in each other, as both the villagers and the soldiers, despite being friendly to each other, saw two worlds. But all it needed were two open minded souls ready to break the invisible barrier and talk, merely talk. And it proved to be successful as both the veteran and the young man came to respect each other.

And as they kept talking, the night passed by and the sun again rose to the sky to bring the light over every house and field nearby. Some were even surprised when they saw that the two were still talking. But time would not wait for the two to finish their talk and thus the soldiers left the small village again whilst the villagers returned to their daily chores.

Indeed, life had returned to its original methods. But life often had many twists to it and a future that once seemed so certain could be changed in the moments of mere days.


	3. Bloodshed In The House of Innocence

"Help, somebody please help us!" The night was filled with screams. The smell of burned wood spread across the village faster than the blood covered the ground. With heavy eyes, he looked around slowly before realizing what was going on. Before he could react however, someone barged into his room with force.

A tall man dressed in leather armour with an axe in his hands stood there, breathing heavily whilst watching his next target. Yelling like a possessed soul, he jumped forward with his axe. Merely did Achaenas manage to evade the attack and, with the man now vulnerable from his flank, he used his own body as a weight to strike the attacker down to the floor.

The axe fell out of the enemy's hands and after that it was reduced to a bloody and savage struggle as the word humanity did not exist anymore. Punching with the fury of fire itself, the two rolled around, every time trying to get an advantage over each other. Blood poured from his mouth as the fists came down on his jaw with great strength.

Finally Achaenas started to get the advantage over the apparently older man has his fatigue proved to be lesser than that of him. Punching him until death was not the option for it would take too long and the weapon was out of reach, so the only option was chosen. After striking the man again a couple of times, he aimed his thumbs at the man's eyes.

Slowly pushing them deeper and the deeper, the man screamed and cried for mercy, but Achaenas was caught in the moment of blood lust as he kept pushing harder. Trying to kick with his legs to release himself from the young man's grip, the blood started covering his face as the thumbs got deeper in his skull.

The cries of death reached as far as out of the house. "Achaenas!?" The elder man ran back inside the house, fearing the life of his son. Gasping out his last breath, the man finally died as the blood and thumbs inside his skull made it impossible for him to live. Shocked and frozen by the sight before him, the elder watched his blood covered son remove him thumbs from the man's skull.

"Father, how many are there?" Only silence was the answer as the elder ran back to the front door of his house and shut the door. "Son, you must leave this village. You must survive!" "No father, I will stay to fight, even if it means death!" The immediate response was a quick jab to his jaw. "This is no time for heroes. Now it's either death or survival and you will survive!"

Shocked by the anger his father displayed he quickly turned around and left through the back window. "Damn you, old man!" A horse close by approached the angered soul and with the night the two moved away, leaving a burning village with a crimson soaked ground behind, filled with the corpses of men, women and children.

The door barged open and all the raiders could see was a weak old man holding a sword. Their laughter was quickly met with a swift stab in one of the raider's chest. "A man dies fighting and I plan to take as many of you with me!" With a loud yell he jumped forward and managed to slash across the face of another man, holding a short spear.

But as good as he might have been with the sword, he stood no chance as the raiders kept pouring into the house and overwhelmed the older man with ease. The only last word that could appear in the old man's head was "Achaenas". His son, the only family member he had left. His legacy and his pride would survive, even if he would not.

As a large raider covered in the blood of the innocent held an axe over his head, the moments of the past flashed by. He saw himself holding young Achaenas, how he grew up, playing in the hay, chasing some of the cattle with one of his own socks. How he grew up and became a young man, eager to learn about the world, to explore and how he wanted more than just the simple village life.

As a tear slowly rolled from his check, feeling regret for not being able support his son any longer, the axe struck down, finishing a long and rich life. The bodies were scattered and yet again the village became the victim of a massacre. But this time, one managed to survive. He swore revenge, not only against the raiders, but against anyone who would oppose him.

The future was about to be shaped and Achaenas wished to play a large role in it.


	4. A Training Fit For A Warrior

The march across empty plains seemed to be eternal, as a tired man sat on his horse looked both east and west, seeing nothing but grass and the occasional tree. It had been two days since he had abandoned his people. Guilt manage to build a fortress in his heart as the screams and cries of the slain villagers kept echoing through his head, going on and on.

Where would he go now and what would he do. He knew revenge was the strongest desire, but he could not even protect a village. The answer did not come from his mind, but rather from an encounter with familiar faces. As he looked to the horizon, he suddenly saw a large amount of soldiers patrolling in the distance.

As they marched west, it took not too long before they spotted the single horseman in the distance. Approaching the horseman, the soldiers quickly noticed it was an unarmed villager. "Achaenas?" A voice all too similar arrived from the middle of the group as a familiar man stepped forward and approached the horseman.

"Why are you here, young one?" "The village is no more. Only blood and corpses cover the grounds now" The regret and guilt sounded loud enough to awaken even the stones, as his eyes moved to the grass below him. "March out now! If we're quick we'll catch those bastards before they're gone." With a movement of the hand, the veteran signalled Achaenas to follow him and so he did.

The first night the veteran approached the lone soul. "Feel not guilty. You could have done not a thing to save those people." "You are mistaken for I could choose to fight." "And die along with the others in a futile attempt to save them. It is better to live now and make them proud by living than it is to die amongst them, destroying all hope that could have been" The young man knew the veteran was right, but often the heart proved stronger against the mind than it should be.

Receiving fresh vegetables and some good wine, the young man ate it slowly, appreciating every bite he took. The soldiers felt sorry for the young man, as most of them knew the pain of the losses he made all too well themselves. Indeed, the victims of war were everywhere, in every corner of this wretched world.

And indeed, after a forced march the group arrived after a little more than a day, only to see the suffering of what was once a peaceful village. Some of the soldiers had accompanied the collectors to this village and they remembered the friendly villagers. From their sadness then came anger, for these people deserved no such fate.

But alas they were too late as no raider could be detected. The only remainder of the village was the young Achaenas. Having no more home, he knew not what path should be followed. "If you so desire, Achaenas, you can come with us. It may not be the richest life, but I promise you it would not be a decision to be regretted." And with a nod, Achaenas looked back at the village, seeing everyone one last thing in his heart, before moving onwards with the soldiers.

It did not take long before the group started to get familiar with the new one, as each soldier tried to support him in whatever way they could. Some told stories about their own losses whilst others simply walked beside his horse and smiled once in a while. Licinus supported him by offering the training with the spear and sword, and out of all attempts, it was appreciated most.

The first training period began swift as the group set camp after several hours. Standing across Licinus, Achaenas felt the weight of the quarter staff in his hands and looked at his trainer. He was taught how to properly defend and attack the enemy. Much to the surprise of Licinus himself, Achaenas learned most of the traits rather quickly, beating the average student who required more.

Indeed, it was also the passion in his heart for the training that allowed his mind to adept and improve quickly to the combat. Whilst Licinus managed to beat the young man to the floor with ease the first couple of times, it started to get tougher with each renewed battle. It finally stopped when Achaenas surprised the veteran and managed to disarm him.

What seemed to be impossible did happen. But what the veteran did not realize was that Achaenas had often sparred with his father during the elder's younger days. The combined experience with the new passion found made Achaenas a formidable enemy, even for a veteran. The achievement was met with cheers and applauds from the rest of the soldiers.

And this process went on for days as the group travelled across the land, searching for bandits and other thugs. The training that occurred every night became only more intense as more soldiers started challenging Achaenas, who managed to become superior to most of them in the time of mere days. He was indeed born to be a soldier.

He had earned respect and became admired by the others. Such was the tale of the young man who was lost his village to a cruel band of raiders and found a new chance with a kind group of soldiers.


	5. The Battle of Birth, Part 1

"Do you see them, Achaenas? That band of looters in the distance." Two trumpets started signalling everyone to prepare formation. Achaenas, together with Varix, Tivinus and four other soldiers prepared their horses and rapidly deployed to the east, whilst the main infantry together with some skirmishers marched to the looters directly.

Not seeing the cavalry, the response was a solid march by 75 looters, equipped with various weapons, ranging from rusty swords and pitch forks to simple clubs and sickles. A feeble attempt was made to display strength to the smaller group of soldiers, but it proved to no avail as the two parts kept marching towards each other, every step increasing in speed.

The first part of combat started when skirmishers from both started out by using ranged weapons to inflict as many casualties as possible. It did not take long before the trained archers killed most of the rock throwing looters with deadly accuracy. Scared for the loss of life, the remainder scurried back behind the infantry's line.

With a yell for battle itself, the spearmen ran out to the front, smashing with shields first before stabbing with the spear. The battle became savage as each party attempted to gain a superior position, but the looters stood no chance as from behind the enemy cavalry started flanking them and charging into their formation.

Lacking the discipline of true soldiers, the rout caused the battle to turn into a massacre as no looter was left behind. A man was struck from behind with a short stab from the spear Achaenas held. The soldiers were almost fanatical, pursuing their broken opponents with great enthusiasm. The biggest problem was however that their enthusiasm caused their formations to break.

This was a problem, realized by Achaenas, but also by Licinus and some of the other veterans, and thus it was quickly that order was restored by the sounds of trumpets ordering to fall back. Looking over the field, the corpses of many were scattered over the grass. Perhaps one day this might have been shocking to the young Achaenas, but time had changed him.

The battle was a necessity for if they were not the monsters to these looters they in turn would become the monsters to the innocent. The bloodshed was a necessity for the safety of villages or they'd share a fate similar to his own village. It was a memory that was deep in the heart, a lesson and a motivation to go on.

As the soldiers returned to their previous camp, many were scolded by the veterans for breaking the formation as if they were a bunch of barbarians. Discipline was a vital part of each army and these soldiers forgot their lessons. The punishment was harsh as each soldier that threatened the overall stability was forced to hold a weight over their heads until it was decided the punishment could be ended.

It was perhaps harsh, but an important reminder to any who failed to do what was required of them. The punishments were ended after three hours, mostly because the soldiers needed to be in proper condition if they were to encounter another group of enemies, but in the sounds of the tongue it would often be repeated and thus not forgotten.

As this went on the days seemed to go faster as well. Some were still eager to find the surviving looters, to end their lives, but the plains seemed to be empty once more. The days were calm and quiet as birds themselves were singing their feelings to the eternal sky above all that live and the hearts of the soldiers eased down too.

It was not until a storm had passed by that the group was approached by an unknown man, warning them of a large coalition of raiders rampaging through the lands. As he started naming the villages falling victim to the monsters, Achaenas recognized his own village's name amongst them. If, indeed, they were the enemies his heart had been pursuing then perhaps sweet vengeance would be his.

This enthusiasm was shared by the rest of the soldiers who knew Achaenas' story and thus it was decided that they would set out to intercept this force of enemies and kill every last one of the scum marching these lands. The men, hearing the determination in their voices, decided to return back to nearest village, warning them of the oncoming battle.

For if the battle were to spread out to the village, many innocent would fall once more. It would be exactly the opposite of what the soldiers wished to achieve. And the day seemed more lively than usual as the soldiers marched out. The spearmen sharpened the points of their spears whilst the archers were making sure their bows were in perfect condition.

Even the horses enjoyed the special attention to ensure their health. Combat was closing by and the desire for battle grew in the hearts of many.


	6. The Battle of Birth, Part 2

The sun appeared strong in the blue sky without clouds. It was almost as if it was cheering for the brave warriors who made their way towards the raiders. And despite the enthusiasm in every soldier, none could match that which was in Achaenas' heart, for it was greater than that of every last one of them. He looked up to the sky and smiled when he looked to the horizon to see the enemy arrive.

_It was roughly around the year that the name of Achaenas the Great started appearing,  
though he was not called The Great yet. In what would later be called __**The Battle of Birth**__  
a vital victory was achieved by the small group of solders. Many modern scholars often  
wonder if the story was exaggerated or not, as many poets throughout the ages spoke  
highly of the Great Conqueror, but what is certain is that the group was outnumbered  
at least 7 to 1._

_As the battles started, it did not take long for formations to fall apart and chaos started  
arising throughout the field. As the enemy started swarming the soldiers it did not take  
long before defeat seemed inevitable. As the enemy kept increasing, the soldiers' morale  
was dropped low enough for them to start routing. Despite the attempts of the veterans  
to restore order, the battle was left undecided as for a peculiar reason the raiders made  
no attempt to pursue them._

_The soldiers retreated to the nearby village, hoping to restock on supplies and other much  
needed items. It is often today that we can see the effect morale had on armies during  
these ancient times. Therefore it is also no surprise that the most casualties were often  
inflicted during the routs were slaughtering the fleeing enemies was quite common._

_Some historians still believe however, despite it being a theory proven false by revealed  
evidence of the great Conqueror, that the young Achaenas planned this to occur in order  
to be able to take over control of the defeat group of soldiers later. Though this was, as  
mentioned before, proven false it is indeed a fact that Achaenas managed to use his  
charismatic influences to effectively control the group as he desired._

_A second battle occurred not long after, close by the village they were in._

"We lost" "There's no way we could have won" "Shut up! If you didn't run we would still be fighting" "If we didn't run we'd be dead!" The tension in the group was high as the loss struck deep in their hearts. The enemy was stronger than anticipated, much to the surprise of the once very enthusiastic soldiers, eager to spill the blood of the wicked.

And where once was desire and passion, now only reluctance and fear remained. The shame was perhaps even worse than the sorrow, as the now defeated soldiers were hiding in a village. The very village they were supposed to be protecting from the enemy. Unable to look the villagers in the eyes, most hid themselves in isolated places, such as barns or behind houses.

Only the veterans and Achaenas remained in public, managing to deal with the humiliation more professionally than the less experienced soldiers. The enemy proved to be stronger and this would surely increase the arrogant display of might from those raiders. It thus came as no surprise when Licinus learned from a nearby villager that the same raiders were approaching the village.

Chaos once returned as the villagers started panicking. It was not the raider's approach alone that had caused it, but also the defeated soldiers' behaviour. All hope seemed lost until at the end of the day, a single voice brought union when all seemed gone. That same voice managed to reunite the soldiers and once again bring morale to them.

This increased morale in turn inspired the villagers as some raised weapons and offered their full assistance to the soldiers. And so they set out once more to intercept the enemy from reaching this village. As men kissed their women and children goodbye, they set out to their fates, determined and ready to accept anything to come.

_The resulting battle proved to be a great victory for the renewed soldiers. The major reason  
for this victory was the new "Phalanx formation" invented by Achaenas himself. Whilst  
generally it was common to try and inflict as many casualties as possible without losing too  
many, more advanced formations such as these where often not used, unless under either  
a very bright or a veteran commander._

_Forming a massive shield wall with a line of three, the spears from the first two lines were used to stab  
__at the enemies' waist and upper body __whilst the third generally held back projectile weapons, such as arrows  
and stones. The villagers were equipped with short ranged weapons and small shields, mostly used for protecting  
the flanks of the main Phalanx formation._

_Cavalry was used to flank the enemy and the remained skirmishers often weakened the enemy before the main engagements.  
Indeed, it was many modern historians, including myself, acknowledge this as a revolutionary change in Calradian warfare. _

_At roughly 13:30 P.M. the forces of Achaenas and the raiders met. Overconfident of their previous victory, their own leader set  
out with the rest of the cavalry and charged straight at the Phalanx formation, believing to be able to break through the formation  
with ease. What happened instead was a quick and efficient defeat of the enemy cavalry._

_It did not take long before the moral of the rest of the enemy army broke and many were killed. Interestingly enough even the villagers  
seemed to have made little to no losses, thereby effectively making this Achaenas the Great his first major victory._

_The War of Birth would be remembered for ages and even great leaders, such as Nal T'yi and Nicholai the Amazing, were said to have  
been inspired by the great ancient hero Achaenas.  
_


	7. An Infested Valley

It did not take long before the **Battle of Birth** was discussed in every  
village, city and castle of the Kingdom of Rhodok. Most Lords however  
saw the young general as a threat to their own rule over the people.

For what the villagers, citizens and even soldiers saw as the work of  
a hero, the nobility saw him as a man who might give their subjects  
the wrong ideas. They were the kind of ideas that would undermine  
their own authority over the lower classes.

However, by order of King Graveth no Lord was allowed to approach  
the young general in any way for it was still unclear as to how he would  
respond and to whom he would give his loyalty, if at all. But just like the  
Kingdom of Rhodok, interest rose from other leaders as well.

The soldiers that had been in battle together with Achaenas had already  
given their loyalty to their new general. His actions, the choices he would  
make would either shape or destroy his future.

Having decided that there was a dire need to restock supplies, the group first travelled to the city of Jelkala where they'd buy more food and some new weapons. Though money was still scarce, the group managed to collect enough by removing any items worth selling from the bodies of their fallen enemies.

It was a thing looked down upon, especially by the more noble classes, but for a group in dire need of money it was a basic necessity it seemed. After having bought enough food to last for another couple of weeks, Achaenas decided to see if there were any good spears available. "These will not do for they are too short."

The city disappeared behind their backs as the group, now with more money than before, marched to the east. Having heard rumours of a large group of allied tribes raiding caravans and villages, the direction of the group was obvious. Achaenas was quite proud when it came to the soldiers following him and the tribes would determine whether the new equipment methods would work or not.

As he spent much time reflecting on the new formation, the advice of the soldiers was asked and it was thus decided that the spears would be held with both hands. A long, but light shield was strapped to each soldier's arm in order to provide more protection. As it was not a truly closed formation, the soldiers were to wait until more of the long shields were available, to strap to their backs.

Within the march of three days, the soldiers arrived at a hilltop overlooking the valley. The place was truly infested as bandits could be seen marching around near the trees to the north east. The camp was built as the warriors had to prepare themselves for a test of faith. It was thus no surprise that as the night itself arrived, some were nervous, despite their faith in their leader.

The stars observed as every man prepared themselves for combat. Indeed, it was not a silent night at all as the sound of stabbing spears and slashing blades could be heard, much to the interest of the large enemy alliance, who took great interest in the famous, but somewhat arrogant group of soldiers on that one hilltop.

And as the day arrived the bandits had gathered every man they could muster to prepare against their new enemy. The valley was quickly filled with the bodies of more than a thousand, eager for the blood of the defenders. As the soldiers looked down from the hilltop, they saw the fanatical enthusiasm they themselves too display.

The second famous battle, the **Battle of the Valley**, was perhaps even bigger  
in fame than the **Battle of Birth** was, as the consequences from it caused events  
would heavily press in on the choices Achaenas made.

Sending out his skirmishers first, arrows and javelins flew down, destroying the  
enemy formations with ease. As the main infantry body started moving up the  
hill, Achaenas ordered his spearmen to block every direction with two lines  
point ahead, effectively creating a round form for the phalanx.

Whilst this tactic brought enough risk with it so later conquerors would not dare  
attempting it, Achaenas had once again been successful. With the spears mostly  
around the height of the stomach and chest, the infantry fell fast enough for  
moral to be crushed.

Rapidly engaging with the cavalry to bolster their men's morale, the warlords of  
the alliance rushed out in a heroic attempt to return them to the battle by directly  
crashing into the spear wall. Whilst most supposedly fell, some managed to get  
inside the circle and confronted Achaenas himself.

Displaying the great mastery of his weapons, Achaenas, together with his loyal  
bodyguards, quickly finished off the warlords, but decided to capture them instead  
of killing them by resorting to the use of blunt weapons only. This decision brought  
large consequences for his relations with later engagements with bandits and  
raiders.

Whatever the case might be, as soon as the infantry started routing, every able man started  
pursuing them, either with or without a horse underneath them. A mere 14 men were said  
to have escaped. 14 from an army existing at one point out of 1400 men, compared to the  
much smaller army of Achaenas.

Once again, it is displayed that numbers alone do not always win a battle. As this battle  
was finished, the word spread out even faster than before, as several merchants and  
other travelers witnessed the epic display of both tactic and command the new and  
young general displayed.

And whilst the love amongst the citizens grew ever so strong for this peasant turned general,  
the nobility became frustrated enough to undertake dramatic steps in order to be rid of this  
upstart peasant. However, the Lords knew if they would openly declare war against this general,  
the populace would quite possible revolt and even several squads of soldiers might doubt their  
once solid loyalty to them.

Thus it was decided to hire an assassin, today known, after finding his grave in one of the northern  
estates, as Riheth. If the Lords' plan were to be discovered, war and revolts would seem quite likely.


	8. A Growing Kitten Between Lions

The third month of the summer, Achaenas' army was approached  
by a large group of peasants, stating their desire to follow the young  
hero and fight together with him. As they had brought many supplies with  
them, it turned out to be a decision Achaenas would not regret later.

"I simply don't know what to make of these peasants. Do they really believe marching with us and fighting our enemies is better than their simple peasant lives." As the veterans looked at each other, it proved they felt superior to these peasants. "You forget that I too was a mere peasant once, Laren, and now look. Concerning their reason for desiring to follow it, you are mistaken."

The peasants outside were eagerly training with the other soldiers, stabbing with spears, aiming with bows and javelins or even swing the sword, if they desired to fill the role of cavalry. "Most of them are afraid. Afraid of barbarians and not being able to protect the ones they love. Therefore they join us, for they know we hunt down all wicked that threaten their lives."

As the meeting in the command tent went on, so did the training of the villagers. It was not so uncommon for villagers desiring a new life in an army. Often, if it was not the constant fear of being raided and slaughtered, it was the fear of a displeased Lord burning some houses or killing some villagers to make an example.

Life in Calradia, despite looking very tempting for the adventurers, contained a generally horrible life for the villagers living outside the walled cities. As the Kingdoms declared war unto each other, it was often that the leading generals and Lords displayed their confidence by looting entire villages to their last coins for "valour".*

However, a young famous general that seemed to be unstoppable, a general who is said to come from the mere life of a villager, just like them, was a truly inspiring fact for every villager eager to join an army. The effect that the Lords themselves feared would happen did in fact happen. And as such, Achaenas' army grew to a formidable size as the world started aiming their eyes at the new event.

"I bring to you gifts from our Lord, oh mighty Achaenas." The Khergit Khanate, not looking at the man as a threat to their stability, but rather a chance to weaken their enemies, did not stop to hesitate trying to convince the experienced warrior to aid them against the Kingdom of Rhodoks. The offer seemed tempting, even for young Achaenas.

If a major kingdom would recognize them as an independent force, they would be more than simply upstart peasant and deserters. However, the price proved to be too high to pay, as the King of the Khergit Khanate wished to have Achaenas' loyalty. If here were to do that, he would end up becoming the same like the ones he disapproved of.

Therefore he politely rejected the offer made, ensuring not to insult anyone. "I see. My King shall be most disappointed, but he shall hope you will change your mind in time. May the Mighty Ones guide you, oh brave one." It was indeed a strange sight for many Rhodok villagers to behold as a diplomat from the Khergit Khanate was just walking through their camp. Many still remembered the war before, the war for freedom against the Khergit Khanate.

However, the discipline that the soldiers taught them did its lesson well as none even considered engaging in any form of hostile response to the diplomat. And as such, the relations between Achaenas' small army and the Khergit Khanate improved, despite the refusal to an otherwise, be it not for the loyalty, very generous offer.

A victorious general stepped outside and saw an army. He saw an army there were there were was only a small group once. He saw it growing as more and more villagers left their lives to find glory with the enemy of all bandits. As the weeks passed, more and more bandits started creating alliances against this new direct threat.

As most of the Lords and Kings still deployed their armies against each other instead of the bandits, the latter could expand proportionally to the point that even castles or cities felt threatened. But times changed and the result of their choices had turned the villagers in enemies of hatred, as the blood of bandits was easily spilled by whoever could do so.

But as most villagers found their glory in the battles with bandits, so did their hearts change more and more to Achaenas, who did care for them, unlike their arrogant, greedy and corrupt Lords who cared only for feeding themselves. The life of a villager was, for them, worth as much as a pebble found on the floor, convinced that they couldn't run out of villagers. 

*Note from author  
It was not uncommon for armies  
to loot villages in order to lay  
pressure on their enemies. Often  
the original mission was forgotten  
as entire armies became nothing  
more than a bunch of bandits.


	9. Fear The One Called Riheth

"This won't be easy" The camp seemed to be dark and patrols weren't difficult to evade as they made enough sound to hear them coming from miles away. Slowly sneaking past the first tents, he looks around. Three spearmen are walking in the distance. "Look at the arrogance displayed by this filth. Mere peasants and deserts should not carry such pride."

Slowly jumping forwards, the soft shoes under his feet make sure none hear him. Passing the tents, once in a while stopping when some soldier awakens only to fall back to sleep seconds later, the tent he must be is in sight. As the distance between the two decreases, so does the security around increase.

"Young one, it is time to greet the holy Ones" Arrogant, but charming is a feature known about him. His footsteps are lighter than the feathers of birds and the speed is only matched by the wind. Mere steps away from the tent, his breathing becomes slower as his heartbeat starts picking up a certain rhythm to express his eagerness.

As long as nobody saw him yet, he'd be safe. Almost as if the Goddess of Fortune had blessed him, no soldiers are in his nearby vicinity. "The child believes to be safe." To him, it is nothing but mere arrogance. None are foolish enough to be so reckless. But something was too easy, something was wrong about it all.

His heart warned him and as he gazed around he saw two, maybe three, soldiers hiding behind one of the tents. His eyes scouted and he saw even more soldiers, hidden. "Blessed I am, I praise you, oh Mighty Ones" An ambush so simple in which he had almost fallen. None cared for the lives of these unclean ones.

Slowly the east became closer as the soldiers kept in position. Closer and closer until the knife could taste the flesh of a young farmer. Instead a blade was discovered at his own throat. Dropping the knife made enough sound for the farmer to look around and be frightened to see that he was to be killed by the enemy.

Looking around the biggest shame was upon him as the hunted had successfully changed to the role of the hunter. "Unexpected, have you been blessed" Taken into the main tent, the ropes tied his arms to a chair and in front of him sat several others, one of which was his target. "Attempting to kill me in the name of a Lord, his name is what I desire now."

The tongue of loyalty cannot tell that which it does not know. For the loyalty of my contract was not that of a Lord to a King, but rather that of an enemy which wishes to destroy you." For many Lords plotted against Achaenas, but so did newly formed alliances of raiders and bandits, for every last one's lives were in peril.

"You speak lies fiend." Words of anger against the assassin for his chosen path were spoken with fierce determination. "Licinus, calm down. We must not upset him, for he knows much. Tell me assassin, what title do you carry?" "The title granted to me is Riheth." Surprised was he, who thought he could end a feeble prey, to instead find the jaws of a kitten that had become a lion.

"Shall death be the answer you will give to the question my soul and body ask of you?" For an assassin, as foul considered as they were, none hesitated to slay them. But the assassin proposed an offer. In exchange for the information, he asked only for reconsidering his end, if there would be an end at all.

And thus so spoke his tongue and out came many stories, much to the interest of Achaenas and his most trusted veterans in arms. And the words kept coming as the names of certain Lords flew to their ears. Eventually the sounds were no more and the assassin had said all he could say, for it was all he knew.

Indeed, the young general pondered greatly, for he now could decide over the life of an assassin, the one that tried killing him. Retribution could be given to the foul one or he could be used as a political tool. The decision was made for without evidence there could be nothing more than the word of just another assassin, as trustworthy as that of a bandit.

It was therefore decided to finish the life of the man for reality could not allow heroes to take such risks. He, who kills for money, would return if spared from the death. Yet fear was not displayed in the assassin's face, but rather acceptance of an end he found most fitting of his long career. It was inevitable for this to happen one day.

Indeed, it was not such a dishonourable death as the man killing him was also the man beating him in the game of night and capturing him. A smile on the face remained as a sword went deep through the heart. It was later that night that a fire burned brightly to the sky, carrying that which was one part of the assassin.

_It was that time Achaenas realized his fame had already made  
him enemies amongst the corrupted loyalty. In the reports of one  
of his loyal companions, Licinus, it said that he had gathered every  
soldier and spoke to them about the events._

_As the adrenaline and anger in the soldiers rose, Achaenas told them  
his plans. He told them his plans to declare war onto the Kingdom of Rhodok,  
the plans to conquer cities and castles whilst protecting the nearby  
villages from both enemy armies and raiders. _

_Especially amongst the many who left their farms to become warriors,  
the choice of words had a strong influence and it is therefore no surprise  
that many modern historians acknowledge this to yet another one of  
the Great Conqueror's charismatic traits._

_War was declared when King Graveth received a formal letter stating the  
failed assassination attempt and the declaration of war against the King  
and his Lords. Enraged, the King demanded to see every Lord, demanding  
to know who had failed to listen to his demand that they were not to interfere  
with Achaenas._

_The punishment had to wait however as a war was growing in their own kingdom.  
A proposal of peace was sent to both the Khergit Khanate and the Kingdom of Swadia._

_It was time Achaenas conquered his place amongst the kingdoms._


	10. Lord Laruqen's Tale

To have an opportunity to strike at your opponent in their weakest moment was the desire of every nation that fought. As the rebel leader Achaenas' army grew in size, the peace proposals sent to the Khergit Khanate and the Kingdom of Swadia were met with only the fiercest of displayed determination to take as much land from the decaying Rhodoks as possible.

It was exactly as Achaenas had hoped, as once again the foul and corrupt lords from all over Calradia displayed their true faces. He was to end them all and bring a new age, a new hope for every young child, for every mother and father, everyone who wanted to have better lives. Looking forward, the sun itself smiled at the young leader.

_The War, later renamed the First Calradian War, due to its  
immediate effects, started with the first battle near a forest, east  
of the capital. _

_An army of 25000, led by Lord Laruqen himself, marched out to meet  
Achaenas' army, which was significantly smaller. And as much confidence  
was displayed by Achaenas, an equal amount of arrogance was displayed  
by Lord Laruqen._

_What the Lord did not realize however was that he was precisely following  
Achaenas' plan. Beginning with small skirmishes, the overly confident  
Rhodok troops started pursuing the horsemen into the forest. It was at  
that moment that Lord Laruqen himself saw the mistake he made. He  
underestimated his opponent._

_The sky was said to be filled with screams from dying soldiers ambushed by  
the less numerous, but better prepared soldiers of Achaenas. It took nearly  
a half hour before a small group of spearmen ran out of the forest in an attempt  
to reach safety, only to be shot from behind by what seemed to be dozens of  
arrows._

_The once great army had been reduced to a mere number of cavalry and some archers  
who didn't rush into the forest. It was Vinkus the Wise who gave Achaenas' tactic the name  
__**Guerilla Warfare**__ around 300 years ago. _

_Surprisingly however the battle didn't end there as reports indicated that Lord Laruqen  
and his remaining soldiers were ambushed mere hours later, with Laruqen himself  
being captured by his enemies._

"So I have been bested by my opponents." The soldiers standing guard looked nervously at the seemingly calm Lord sitting behind bars. It was not necessarily fear, but rather the man himself that made them nervous. This was Lord Laruqen, on the only Lord kind enough to share his grain with some of his villages in time of famine.

He out of all should have understood why they fought. He felt sorrow as he gazed upon the nervous soldiers, mere peasants armed with weapons and armor, yet well disciplined enough to defeat them. It was not until that one man entered the small tent that he looked at him. What he saw wasn't some hairy, arrogant rebel, but a young charismatic man with a smile that could make almost anyone trust him instantly.

"And thus I finally meet the Lord who hasn't been corrupted yet." The smile disappeared as fast as it seemed to appear when the eyes of the two met. And as the two started talking, Laruqen learned more about Achaenas, only to see how wrongly he was informed. From the tales he heard, he assumed this rebel sought only to take the crown for himself, to be a ruler, but he couldn't have been more wrong.

His desire was not power. It was paradise that he desired. To prevent the suffering he experienced to be felt by others. To stop the corrupt Lords that so eagerly exploited their already suffering villagers. And much to his own dismay, Lord Laruqen found himself questioning his own loyalty. Was he truly fighting for a righteous cause? King Graveth often spoke highly of his skills, but he witnessed the King speak lowly of the villagers and peasants.

And as the two kept talking, it was inevitable that eventually Laruqen confessed to Achaenas his doubting heart. And to this, the young leader took much interest. If such lies were spread across the lands about him, then surely things would be more difficult. However, if he were to have a capable general next to him, one who already conquered the hearts of the people a long time ago, things, would be easier.

But what were the true intentions of Laruqen? It was to be seen over time. For now it was worth the risk. And as foolish as some might believe it was, he offered Laruqen a chance to redeem himself and fight for a truly honorable purpose. Surprised, the Lord considered it and eventually accepted the kind proposal made to him.

_The rebellion of Laruqen had proven to be a most fatal strike for the  
Kingdom of Rhodoks. As King Graveth raged, the war had begun to create a  
worse fate for every battle fought. With the combined experience of Achaenas  
and Laruqen, many of the battles were fought with ease._

_Finally, after three years of intense campaigning, the army, once humble and  
small, marched on the capital itself. Roughly 52 years ago scholars found what  
appeared to be King Graveth his diary. Most of it gave the scholars a good  
idea about the King's personality. _

_The most informative piece however, were the last lines written:_

"_Alas, once I was king of a great realm. As my ancestors struggled and freed  
themselves from their corrupt Lords, I have failed to see the corruption and  
poverty spreading in my lands. Many have died, and I had shown no sympathy._

_Even now, the words I spoke about peasants being expendable, ring through my mind  
and burden my soul. My vision is clouded and my hope has been drained of all there was.  
I have brought this unto myself and others. I can only pray now, pray that I might be forgiven  
for my actions. Pray that I will not be remembered as a monster."_


	11. The Seeds of the Slave Rebellions

"_The Nobles and Lords of the Kings' court looked at me as a foul beast, a worm that had betrayed a just cause. Everywhere I was met with despise and disgust, often even outright anger. Nobles spat on the ground before me and Lords discussed enthusiastically on how to punish me after the war had finished._

_As I gaze upon them now I can see how blind I had become. They know their end is near. There is no more hope for these corrupt ones that rule the lands."_

_To the surprise of many scholars the events following the betrayal of Lord Laruqen were never actually recorded by anyone. Often many speculated about what happened in this rather important timeframe as it brought not only the end of the Kingdom of Rhodoks, but also saw the rise of a new Kingdom that immediately was called to war by others surrounding the young Kingdom._

_The Nobles and Lords feared that their authority would be disputed when enough people would hear about this peasant that became a ruler. It would show them that anyone, regardless of heritage, could become a ruler. It was therefore expected that the Kingdoms forged secret alliances with each other._

_Some rumours claim that Achaenas' army won through an innovative new invention that allowed them to harness the full power of fire. It could possibly mean that they had used primitive forms of cannons or other explosives, as the first fire arms recorded were used in the Slave Rebellions mere years later._

_Indeed, the Slave Rebellions, yet another great event that put forward Achaenas' name, showed the impressive knowledge that was brought throughout his Kingdom. Since there is no actual knowledge concerning the rise of the Kingdom, let us start with the Slave rebellions, or more specifically, the events that caused the Slave Rebellions._

"I can't handle this anymore!" "You think they care? Just lift move that rock out of the way, will you?" A large dusty field, near the borders of the Khergit Khanate, filled with slaves, ranging from young children to old men and women. Tired and weary, a large man lifted a rock and removed it from a pad, using the last of his strength.

The weight of his body became too much as he fell down. Even the harsh ground beneath him felt like a soft pillow. "Get up, before they see you!" "I… can't. I'm too tired, too tired" Desperately his friend, who was somewhat smaller, tried to help him stand up, but to no avail. He felt a hand grab him at the shoulder and push him away from his friends.

"Get up your maggot!" Furiously the slave master struck the lying man with a whip several times. But the man did not move, even when blood covered him. The slave master kept striking the exhausted slave, harder each time. But the man could not move anymore, he was broken. "Guess this one has no use anymore"

As the slave master unsheathed his blade, he was suddenly tackled to the floor, taken by surprise. Desperately the smaller slave tried to fight him, yelling at the other to leave, but to no avail as his friend could not even move a muscle. As the slave master threw the slave off him, he ended his life almost instantly with a quick stab in the heart, piercing through the ribs.

The cruel murder led to another slave throwing a rock at him. The tension that had been building amongst the slaves had finally reached its limited as more slaves started grabbing smaller rocks and other items that could be used as weapons and start assaulting the slave masters and their guardians.

Many died that day, but the rebellion had finally been born.

_As the fear for Achaenas' Kingdom grew, especially after the humiliating defeat he had given the other Kingdoms, the need for more resources grew strongly as more slaves were put on the fields, in the mines and in the forests._

_Eventually it became too much and a true rebellion was born. As slaves all across the Kingdoms, except the one of Achaenas' as slavery was forbidden there, rose up against their former masters, chaos made its path like a snake through grass, across the lands of Calradia._

_The rebellions certainly helped the former peasants as many left their own lands to find safety under the banners of Achaenas. This in turn drew the attention of the already occupied Kingdoms. The Lords and Nobles protested fiercely against his decision to help every peasant and villager that came to his Kingdom, but to no avail as Achaenas refused to listen to their demands._

_In fact, as seen by the records, it only made things worse as after yet another assassination attempt Achaenas publically declared the slaves receiving his support. Though some believed Achaenas acted out of greed, it was mostly to support what he believed to be a just and honourable cause: The abolishment of slavery._

"Licinus, my friend, what say you on the problem of the Khergit Khanate?" The once fallen soldier had been restored to a position of honour as his name often fell together with the words "loyalty" and "trust". He could not have hoped for a better future himself.

As he looked at the young man in front of him, he felt nothing but pride in the achievements they made together, from their desperate stands against overwhelming odds to the small signs of moral support they'd give each other to get through the rough times.

He had become his friend and mentor. "The Khergits are experienced at ranged combat from the backs of horses. We must avoid open areas at all cost as they will surely reign supreme over our heavy infantry. The only chance to defeat them in combat would be possible by obstructing their flexibility. Mountains and hills are great at slowing them down, but a village would work just as well.

As both looked around the map, both saw the perfect opportunity to use the Khanate to weaken the other Kingdoms around them.


	12. Another Version of a Legend

"Mommy, some strange men have arrived here to see you." A small girl, perhaps only 4 years old, immediately hid behind their mother as soon as the men entered the house. "Look 'ere boys! Looks like we got ourselves some fresh meat!"

The woman was pulled out of her house violently and taken, along with the other women of the villages, to the cages waiting nearby, ready to transport them. The child screamed as hard as it could as she had to watch her mother being dragged away by these strange men.

"Don't worry child. In a couple of years we'll be coming for you too!" And as the girl started looking around, seeing the bodies, she kept screaming louder, with tears as death had come to her village. "Whatever you do, don't…" But the mother was silenced by a harsh smack to the head.

And the women could only watch as the village filled with children as other men arrived from other directions, most likely there to enslave the children. It appeared that they didn't notice the other cages taking the women away. When the women eventually could see only sand and rocks, they started forget how long they were in the cages quickly as well.

"My daughter, she was so young… I couldn't protect her. What will she do without me?" And just like she wondered about her daughter, so did the other mothers. They could not think for long however as the cages were suddenly stopped and the men approached the cages.

"Well, you heard the boss. We all get to chose one." She watched how the other women desperately clutched on to some in their attempt to prevent them from being pulled out the cage by the men until she felt a hand on her own arm as well, immediately pulling her out of the cage.

"Please, no" The women kept yelling louder than before, but to no avail as the men knew what they wanted. The man eagerly lowered his pants and was preparing to start his business, when an arrow suddenly struck him in the chest. Around him the other men met the same fate before they even got the chance to start their plans.

From the distance, the same men that approached the village earlier arrived. The women were terrified as they saw the new group approach them. Looking around, the women could not help but notice the strange armour they were wearing.

A young man approached her slowly, carrying a gentle smile on his face. "Fear not, milady, you are safe now. We secured the village and the children yesterday, but did not see these cages in time. As soon as we learned the direction you were headed we pursued as fast as we could." Extending his hand, the woman gratefully grabbed it and was raised from the ground she was lying on.

As she saw more troops arriving, questions started wandering through her mind, as it was most obvious these weren't soldiers of the Khergit Khanate. Where did they come from, why were they here and why did he address her as if she was royalty? But she could not ask, as they were taken back to their village again.

But it was not the same village anymore. She saw large walls and towers being constructed by the foreign soldiers. Inside new buildings were constructed and villagers from other destroyed villages were brought in and trained. The next time, bandits would not have such an easy target.

_For 2 years Achaenas apparently waged a bloody war against crime as he pursued bandits and raiders alike. As he was already spending time fighting those elements in other Kingdoms, we can deduce from that that his own lands were virtually crime free._

_Five years ago, when I went to the National Swadian University, I argued, against the rather inaccurate depiction of his ideals, that it was not only his past, but an ideal that had shaped him. It was a dream, a hope, a fantasy that he decided to make reality._

_I was mocked for my theories as other historians from the Calradian Historians Society tended to depict him, despite giving him credit for being the first to unite the warring Kingdoms, as a murdered that had often been cold hearted in the judgements he gave others, even when not always necessary._

_But I refuse to accept it, I refuse to believe that those nitwits know anything other than the rubbish they've been fed by their parents and Digital Entertainment. Fools they are, I say, but who am I but one man. Luckily for me however, there are going to be a lot of changes soon enough as I believe to have stumbled upon something that will revolutionize our entire idea of Achaenas._

_As of now most of the stories have been retold by either his enemies or his followers, either way giving us but an opinion at the time of who he really was when he was still alive. There was however always a rumour that told there was an actual report of Licinus himself. If true then indeed the effects of its discovery would not be exaggerated._

_And, blessed as I am, I have found a key and a map leading to the crypt of Licinus, located somewhere to the North West, near the Kirirmos Forests. I've bought most of the supplies, but I need to find someone who can guide me around the forests, if I don't want to be turned into wolf food._

_I hope my journey will be successful._


	13. Point of Perspective

_I have found Licinus'__ crypt! What I found inside was more than simply a historian's wet dream. Amongst the information about Achaenas the Great himself, there were things inside that could potentially shift the balance of power in Calradia for many years. As I have spent the last weeks reading the reports and documents found, there are talks about a secretive organization set up by the kings of old put together to put a halt to their common enemy._

_Sadly the date is not specifically mentioned, though Licinus himself managed to spy unto some members, writing down their conversation. If my theory is correct, they were planning the Waves of August. _

The sound of rats echoed through a dark dungeon. Its halls were empty, abandoned years ago. Some cells still held corpses inside of former prisoners who either died after torture or who were simply forgotten when the dungeon was abandoned. It was the perfect location for a meeting that had to remain secret.

"Listen to me, Kriegher! We can't openly declare war unto him. The people love him. They'd revolt against our rule almost in an instant". An elderly man was walking past a dusty old torture room with another man, most likely in his 50s. "I get that, but why all this bloody secrecy? It doesn't make any sense".

"Are you blind? The problem is that our king, not only by seeing the prestige Achaenas is enjoying, but also by the growing amount of requests for such living conditions by his own citizens, considers abolishing slavery as well, together with several actions that may very well threaten to destroy the foundations on which our glorious kingdom was built".

"Something tells me this is more than just fear for change". "Of course it is! If the King does take such actions, it would also mean many of our more profitable practices would become impossible. Many of our nobles would lose most, if not all, their wealth in the months to follow. For the sake of our own future, we can't let that happen!".

Lars found himself experiencing a moral problem as he was torn to choose loyalty to his own family or choose loyalty for the people. He managed to get into this 'club' because of the connections his father had, but he never really desire to participate in the 'club'. Often, he found their businesses too cruel in nature.

He knew however that whatever he chose, someone would brand him a traitor, an enemy of the 'righteous cause'. The question was, however, which one. As he looked to Kriegher, he sighed softly and followed the old man again."

_In that time, nobles and kings were often conservative and fierce defenders of tradition, but massive amounts of support for change brought by almost everyone in society managed to convince even the fiercest of traditionalist amongst kings to reconsider his options, lest he'd consider a civil war that would potentially destroy him and his family._

_In some of the reports it also showed that Achaenas too was having problems with the conservative nobles in his new kingdom. Though through ingenious actions he managed to pay his soldiers without having to rely on nobles anymore, making them somewhat obsolete in terms of economical support, they still have their own influence over the populace._

_Achaenas knew this and, despite being of simple origin himself, always kept them close. It seemed that most of the nobles behaved humbly, mostly because of Lord Laruqen his presence, but it was no secret most of them desired to return to the old ways, in the Kingdom of Rhodoks, rather than under a peasant._

_But I seem to be digressing. The report seems to be quite consistent with the events known to most historians know a days. In the fourth report, chapter seven, Licinus states his concern about the nobles who seem to be going 'to parties together' more often. He clearly ensured that it was obvious he believed they were meeting too often for his liking._

_Being a soldier by nature, he never, as he stated several times, trusted the nobles. Quoting Licinus himself, "they were nothing but a bunch of backstabbing bastards who were always plotting and scheming to increase their power and wealth, even if at the expense of hundreds of lives". This manages to reflect the already decaying relations between the commoners and the nobles before Achaenas arrived to the scene._

_I was not surprised though to find out as I can only imagine how bad things were. Reading actual reports also shows how lucky we are to live in a free, democratic nation we are allowed to choose, where we have rights to protect us. I digress again it seems. Next to me lies a drawn map of the attack plan for the city. It would be the first conquest of a city in the war with the Khergits._

_Strange, it seems as if there are... What was that? I could've sworn I heard something. Would anyone be here for this discovery? No, I must focus. Forgive me for drifting off. Anyways, as I stated, the map has several figures that indicate how... I heard it again! This can't be coincidence._

_Who are you? What are you doing here? No, wait! Are you here for the papers, is that it? Look, I'm sure we can work out some deal here. If this is about wealth then I am sure we can make some sort of a deal. No, wait, don't...-_

As he looked forward, a city was at the distance. The sun reflected its beauty quite marvellously. "Achaenas, the soldiers are ready!" Turning around, he nodded. "Let's give them an example of the power of freedom."


	14. Victory and Fear

The city was surrounded from all sides. Crossbowmen and archers were shooting arrows and bolts from the western, northern and eastern sides of the city whilst siege engineers used trebuchets to deliver massive damage to the southern wall. A desperate attempt came forward as Khergit lancers and archers massed out of the gates, riding towards their opponents.

The attempt was quickly subdued after being bombarded by arrows and bolts from all directions whilst specialized spear infantry was marching towards them at rapid pace. Seeing the approaching danger, the rapidly diminished attackers tried to return to their city only to found their paths blocked by heavy cavalry carrying spears resembling those of Swadia.

"Forward! For the Khanate!" A young red haired man screamed with passion as he pointed forward his sword and marched for the closest opponent. The survivors reorganized under a seemingly infinite shower of arrows and bolts and rushed towards the nearest opponents to inflict as much damage as possible.

The screams of dying men were everywhere and only made his heart beat faster. An arrow in the leg, but he kept on charging. Two bolts, one in the arm and another one near the shoulder, but he still kept charging. Even after receiving a painful blow to the chest, he kept on going. But his moment of passion disappeared when he felt his collapse underneath him.

Scrambling to get up again, he looked around to see that he was the only survivor. He was surrounded by infantry that was coming closer with the second. As the light seemed to grow brighter, he could see the images of people appear to him. His family, his beloved wife, his children, his friends all appeared to him until he saw no more.

Achaenas looked around him and saw the casualties. He felt pity for the enemies as much as he felt pity for his own fallen soldiers. It was a rare trait in most leaders these days. "Be alert, the situation seems to be far from over." "What's the worst that can happen?" A young arrogant soldier was looking around. "It's not like they can…- what?"

A massive horde of cavalry suddenly slammed inside the eastern flank when a nearby army found the besieged army. Seeing the changing situation, Achaenas quickly grabbed a spear and ran as fast as he could towards the nearest spearmen. Quickly forming a phalanx, they ran towards the new threat, spears swinging wildly to all directions.

The tips pierced their ways through the armour and flesh of both horse and soldier as the other forces quickly directed their full attention to the Khergit army as well. The enemies found themselves quickly surrounded. In roughly ten minutes an army of five hundred cavalry men was reduced to zero as no enemy was allowed to live on.

Covered in blood Achaenas looked further to see the rest of the army approach. It looked like this was an attempt to delay them as much as possible. "They would make such a big sacrifice for this city. Don't they care at all for the lives of their own?" He would give them proper burials later, after this was all sorted out.

Dividing the army into two, one was kept under the control of Licinus to ensure the siege and conquest of the city would go well, whilst the Achaenas would oversee the oncoming battle himself. Deploying two lines of archers in front whilst three lines of spearmen followed them closely from behind. Next to the archers and spearmen were loose auxiliaries ready to throw large amounts of rocks and javelins.

Finally there was one line of horse archers and two of heavy cavalry. Sending the heavy cavalry to both sides, in an attempt to make the enemy believe they are retreating, he kept pushing forwards with the infantry. The horse archers ran across the fields aiding their infantry counterparts in the battle.

Eagerly, the soldiers rushed out with passion, piercing the enemy ranks with their spears in front of them. The enemy attempted to flank them from both sides, but with cavalry prepared the attempt was quickly stopped when heavy cavalry smashed from the back flanks, breaking moral almost immediately.

The noise of horses echoed as the horse archers rushed forward, sending waves of arrows towards their enemies. Meanwhile, Licinus and the rest of the infantry had already infiltrated the city, fighting small pockets of resistance. He sent his archers up the walls to scout for enemies inside and outside the city.

Finally after three exhausting hours the enemy resistance was utterly crushed. Achaenas walked past the dozens of bodies lying on the ground. Together with other soldiers, he carried the enemies to a common gather place before giving proper burials. "May they find their peace in death" It was repeated by many of the others as well.

The city had sustained much damage and even though soldiers started working on repairs after the burials, it would still take some time before it would be restored to its original condition. Achaenas walked towards the pub that sustained little damage and entered it, only to find a large group of survivors.

Children, women and old men, Licinus thought as he watched the group in front of him. Some children quickly grabbed a couple of weapons laying around, ready to protective their families. Every other leader would have killed them, but not Achaenas. With his ever so charismatic charm he slowly walked forward.

Raising his hand slowly, his smile still struck into the hearts of people. "I have not come to hurt you. Instead I came to free you from your corrupt rulers. You will not be harmed, I promise." Gently the children dropped their weapons and the tension seemed lesser until finally there seemed to be no more fear.

Achaenas stepped out of the bar and looked up, to see the sun reappear from behind a cloud.

_As I am writing this I am hiding inside one of my secret spots. There were people sent to kill me, but I can't figure out who it was. The only logical reason I can think of however is that it was about the papers I found. I was either followed or my guide had informed them, whoever the hell they are. Could it be that secretive organization Licinus spoke of?_

_No, wait, forget that. I'm getting delirious. Whoever they are, I know what they want, but I can't let them have the papers. I fear that if those people were to get their hands on this treasure, they'd keep it a secret from the world. Whatever is in these papers, it's worth the blood of humans. _


	15. War is Eternal

_Three hours ago I saw a man walk around carefully near my hiding spot. It's was obvious he wasn't around for family. Contacting one of the few people I could trust, I managed to escape the assassins a second time. I needed to find out who ordered those assassins to kill me and why. As far as I could remember I made no enemies over the past years._

_In these dark times, I can only find hope in reading Achaenas' story. The story of a commoner that became a legend, remembered for centuries even after his death. I could only hope I had the same luck as Achaenas had. If so, I would survive this. If not, I was doomed to fall. _

"Report" "The last couple of months have been difficult, but we have made significant progress against the Khergit Khanate. Despite all their continuous efforts we have managed to conquer three of their major cities and at least seven villages, crippling their economy almost completely. We also managed to capture eight of their Nobles and even their king. Without a leader, they're doomed."

The war against the Khergits, a fierce and bitter war fought on open plains, had shown the superiority the new Phalanx formations had, even when confronted with the agile horse archers the Khergits generally used to defeat their enemies with. Achaenas knew the other Kingdoms watched in fear as his army kept growing, drawing recruits not only from their own village, but also those of others.

After the capture of the Khergit king, most nobles surrendered to Achaenas, but a handful of nobles declared one of their own king and continued their war against the occupiers. Achaenas had no interested in taking the land for himself though. After having secured the land, he planned to surrender it to the citizens of the nation.

Licinus however disagreed with his plan, suggesting that they should take the opportunity to establish a strong frontline in case the neighbouring Khergits would once more try to conquer them in war. It took some convincing, but he managed to get through. Luckily for the Khanate the demands were relatively small.

"Achaenas, we have the last defenders of their 'king', near the west in the heart of the forest. He knew this had to finish as soon as it was possible, but was careful not to rush his troops. Carefully deploying his lines into proper defensible formations, he marched forwards. The battle did not last long as the forests, whilst proving to be a good defensive position, was also a horrible location for the Khergits who specialized in cavalry attacks.

Their lack of skill as infantry made that painfully obvious. In mere days after defeating the last resistance, Achaenas headed towards their capital city and started negotiating a peace treaty with the Khergits that would benefit both. The first term demanded was that all land underneath and between the southern mountains would be given to his people. This was done in order to establish a defensive frontline, as suggested by Licinus.

It was then, by suggestion of Laruqen, that there was to be a law in the Khergit lands, preventing the rise of nobility and monarchy, instead favouring a system where the people could choose their leader. Despite conservative in nature, most of the populace welcomed it with open arms, together with the other new laws that gave every citizen basic rights.

As a final step in his plan, Achaenas demanded not only an exclusive trade treaty with the Khergits, but also an alliance, where the two would help each other out in case they were threatened by the other Kingdoms surrounding them. The terms were enthusiastically agreed upon, ensuring that Achaenas could leave knowing things were fine.

_What Achaenas did was simply amazing as he secured not only the future of his own people, but also the future of the Khergits. This alliance proved to be a vital asset in the oncoming wars with the other kingdoms surrounding them. The Khergits had proven to be a most loyal ally and together they survived despite all the odds._

_The best example of this would most likely be the War of the Swadians where an alliance between the Swadians and Vaegirs was made to defeat newly established alliance. Though they contacted the Nords as well, their offer was refused as the king of the Nords showed no interest in fighting Achaenas or his allies. _

_The famous quote by their King said "I shall fight not who raises no sword towards me. I shall only look, but react when the sword is aimed at me". Simply put, it meant there was no point in fighting a battle that didn't concern him, especially seeing as Achaenas did nothing wrong against him. Upset and disappointed, the two allies decided to declare war on the Nords first. Isolated as their kingdom was, and surrounded by the two of them, they expected everything to go right._

_They did not expect the Nords however to call the assistance of the Khergits and Achaenas. As soon as they heard it, they knew the war had taken a very bitter turn. Where they were once in an advantageous position, they were not in a very dangerous one, being surrounded on all sides. Many still speculate that Achaenas was involved in this, using the three kingdoms as puppets to further his own plans and goals. I always considered that theory rubbish._

_Still, I could not help but admire the man. I wish I had that charisma and leadership he possessed. I could change the world or, at the very least, save my own life from these assassins. _

"The war with the Khergits finished mere months ago and already another war is awaiting us." "I still don't understand why we offered to help the Nords." "The Nords are, unlike the Swadians and Vaegirs, not violently opposed to us. If the latter two would be able to conquer the Nords, they'd gain a strong position towards us." "True words, but regardless I wonder how this will affect our relations with the Nords."

"That's something we'll see after the war". Achaenas had no fear for what was to happen. He knew what he had to do.


	16. The Beginning of a Golden Age

_The war started out disastrous for Achaenas as the Swadians  
and the Vaegirs had deployed various tactics to break up the tight  
formations of the Phalanx by placing large rocks and other obstacles  
in front of the soldiers. The Phalanx was forced to move around  
the obstacles leaving them vulnerable for enemy archers._

_Two decisive defeats at the hands of the allied enemies were more  
than enough to demoralize the entire army. Soldiers were desperate,  
but remained loyal to Achaenas. He tried to find a way to reform his  
army._

"Achaenas, perhaps we should negotiate for a peace treaty" A young general had asked the question most did not want to ask, not even consider. But there were many more who felt the same way as they had seen brothers and friends die at the hands of the enemies. "We both know they'd never agree to anything we'd propose" Licinus was certain of it. After all, in the eyes of their enemies they were still those rebels, even if some claimed otherwise.

The young general sighed softly, disappointed at the comment, which was the truth. He just didn't want to lose any of his friends anymore. "I've got it!" Achaenas smashed his hands on the small table in front of him, almost causing it to collapse. A smile appeared in his face and the shining lights in his eyes that made every soldier eager for combat again. The face that had the solution to the problems they were facing.

Calling out a Phalanx to get into formation, he drew the attention of the entire camp. Most were confused as he saw him replace the Phalanx's shields with those of the cavalry, longer but also heavier. The confusion even grew bigger as he took away their spears. Instead, he gave them short daggers that were roughly seventy centimeters long. Already, some soldiers understood what he was aiming at as some started thrusting fiercely.

It was a tighter formation that was much harder to break up. Not only that, but they were extremely flexible, unlike the slow Phalanx. And that knowledge spread quickly, like a fire, through the rest and the camp cheered. They trained for several days, stabbing until their sword arms hurt and until their shields grew too heavy. But the passion, the passion remained burning in their hearts as they looked forward to surprise the enemy with this new tactic.

The phalanx remained as well, if only for cavalry. Again Achaenas had reformed his army. Again he had brought change to warfare.

_Many considered Achaenas a military mastermind and,  
to be quite honest, I'd agree with them considering  
the changes he had brought. In these scrolls I had found even  
more changes to his armies, changes that were never revealed  
in public._

_It was after the reforms that his army once again started a  
most victorious campaign, though often at a heavy price  
as the Swadians and Vaegirs fought until their last man to  
keep the foreign invader out of their lands. It was a bloody war,  
even by Calradian standards._

_But perhaps the most surprising display was the aggression  
the Nords showed in the war as their blood stained warriors  
broke through their walls and left no city or village standing  
in their campaign to eradicate their enemies. Even Achaenas  
was worried about his Nordic allies._

_After six years of bitter fighting, the war had been mostly  
reduced to guerilla warfare against the Nords and Achaenas,  
but it didn't matter anymore. The allied enemies had lost the  
war. And the Nords ensured that the peace treaties were  
harsh, very harsh._

"Listen to me, you foolish Swadian! This is not a question of whether you want to accept this proposal or not, this is a demand!" The Nordic king was annoyed at the arrogance the Swadians kept displaying towards him and his people. The Vaegirs had already realized that they had no choice and most of their provinces were lost to both the Nords and the forces of Achaenas, effectively cutting them off from the sea.

Now the Nords were eager to gain the northern territories the Swadians possessed to lock them between themselves, Achaenas and the Khergit Khanate. After several days the Swadian diplomats finally gave up and so the Nords gained new lands. The war was finally over and Calradia finally underwent a period of peace and prosperity. Various patrols were set up near every road. Villagers no longer feared being raided or slaughtered.

_Successful in his wars, Achaenas finally declared the lands  
behind him to be a democratic republic where the power was  
in the hands of the people. Ministers and the likes were chosen,  
but Achaenas remained in power as none had the desire to  
replace him._

_And as the lands met new times and changes, so did Achaenas meet  
a new life that he was not very fond of. As a leader he often had to attend  
parties thrown by the nobles. Despite his military intelligence and his  
diplomatic charisma, he was quite awkward in actual social situations  
as he had grown more accustomed to war than to luxury._

_He was a warrior, a soldier, not a noble. One report even mentioned him  
going as far as throwing a table on the floor and leaving the hall, much  
to the dismay of the nobles that were present._

"They do it out of kindness Achaenas" He knew that all too well, but he couldn't try to be something he wasn't. He kept trying, but it wasn't always easy. "I'm not perfect, my friend". Licinus laughed at his comment before patting him on the shoulder and leaving again. "Tell me Laruqen, how do you manage to enjoy such parties?" He gave Achaenas a surprised look. "I do not enjoy them. I'd rather fight a battle with a smelly bandit than stay there with those pampered nobles."

Despite the arrogance he had often shown to the 'lower classes', he never really appreciated the nobles either. Most displayed such arrogance despite their lack of skill in leading armies to victory. All they had was their gold. "Don't worry Achaenas, you'll get used to it eventually." And he too left the room, leaving Achaenas to ponder over what to do next.


	17. The Second Slave Rebellions

_It took roughly two weeks, but I think I lost those damn assassins. They have been far too persistent to my liking as this only increase my suspicions some very wealthy aristocrats are involved. So far I've been lucky, living on borrowed time, but I have to do something fast. My luck will eventually run out._

_Right now I'm on my way to an old colleague of mine, Darsen V'Naros, medic at the Suno Armour Hospital. If correct, he can help me meet certain people to fight this threat. In the meanwhile, I'll take my moral support from Achaenas as much as possible. I am certain I could use it well at the moment._

"Achaenas, we bring news from the Swadian lands. Once again, slaves have marched against their former owners in a desperate attempt to regain their freedom." Interested, he turned around and motioned Laruqen to follow him to the dining hall, where several other nobles and soldiers were present. "Please Laruqen, tell us everything you know."

"As you wish Achaenas. The slave rebellions started roughly a week ago when a slave owner found out his wife was having an affair with one of the slaves. She became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy child, but she, the slave and the child were publically hanged. The slaves couldn't take it anymore as this monstrous act finally pushed them over their limits."

And once again there was a rebellion of slaves and once again Achaenas found himself at crossroads. If he would ignore the problem and leave the slaves to their fates he would betray everything he stood for. Everything the people symbolized him for. On the other hand, things had been going very well in restoring relations with the Swadians.

The decision was made for him a few days later as reports came in about slaves fleeing to his lands, but being slaughtered by Swadian soldiers on them. "These Swadians stain our lands with the blood of those that merely desire freedom. We can't ignore this issue any longer". And much to the surprise of Laruqen, the nobility all agreed.

The armies marched out with fierce determination to end the rebellions in question as quickly as possible with as little casualties as possible. The Khergits upon receiving the message immediately marched out as well, ready to take their place in the spotlights. "Achaenas, are you certain this is the best decision?" The man nodded. He knew what he wanted, he knew he had to.

Licinus looked at him, Achaenas, and how much he had changed. Years of warfare, assassination attempts, political chaos and so much more had changed him from that innocent young boy he met, curious about the world, to a hardened leader that was ready to take decisions when he needed to.

The Swadian King saw the act of intrusion as a violation of the rights of his rule, therefore a declaration of war. The Vaegirs quickly joined in the war, on the side of the Swadians, eager to pay back the price. Bloody and harsh skirmishes were fought near the borders as both sides tried to get an advantageous position over the other.

One of them, the **Battle of the Frozen River**, ended up with a massive army consisting out of Swadians, Vaegirs and various mercenaries gaining a temporary advantage towards the army of Achaenas, but that quickly changed when the Khergits flanked them. Using a pincer attack, the army was completely destroyed.

The deciding factor was when a band of Khergit horse archers were able to shoot the leading general of the enemy army himself, effectively destroying any leadership. The chaos that was followed by swords, arrows and spears as the Swadians and Vaegirs would fight until their last breathe.

But the Swadians and Vaegirs had been preparing for the war as they had massive armies, ready to retaliate against the popular general from the south and his Khergit lackeys. Both sides looked occasionally to the Nords, who decided to stay neutral once again, not willing to interfere with their, as quoted, "petty wars for petty reasons".

At a certain point in the war, there was even a small Swadian army trying to besiege one of the cities to their south, but much to their dismay Achaenas himself arrived and stopped them, once again. Licinus in the meanwhile was conquering city after city whilst Laruqen was trying to unite the rebels under one banner.

The Khergits met fierce resistance as the Vaegirs would use sticks, stones and whatever they could to fight the Khergits. Their soldiers screamed for their blood and many times the battles ended in a draw as both armies lost too many and morale was too low. Licinus started marching towards the capital of the Vaegirs, hoping to capture their king as well.

The final attempt to push the wars to their own favour was with the **Battle of Fire**. The remaining armies of the Vaegirs and Swadians had joined together to make a final great push. In their path stood the armies of Achaenas, Licinus, Laruqen and the armies of the Khergits. It is in this slave rebellion that the battlefield saw something that would change warfare forever.

Using the theories of certain inventors of his, he made large shaped weapons, which the creators called "Cannons". The process was unusual, but many were taught how to properly use it. And whilst the cannons were unreliable in general, they did their jobs well. The loud noise and the devastating power crushed morale extremely fast.

These cannons would improve in time and prove vital to some of Achaenas' later great battles. And whilst the war was drawing to a conclusion, the Nordic King was present at the opening of an invention of his own people. A steam engine that would not only revolutionize Nordic industry, but also give it a monopoly for years to come.


	18. The War to end all Wars

After the Second Slave Rebellions had ended, the face of Calradia had changed permanently. The treaties with the nearly annihilated Vaegirs and Swadians ended hope for any independence in the near future. Achaenas realized if the two were still free to go as they pleased, more wars would come and come until there were no more soldiers left to fight. He forced the two kingdoms to accept the same treaties that were given to the Khergits.

And then, it was the lands under Achaenas and the Nords that still stood. A cold war had slowly erupted as the Nords started adapting fire arms whilst Achaenas started industrializing his own lands to meet that of the Nords. Whilst each was still superior over the other in their own technology, to say they were equals was an understatement. The King of the Nords realized that if he would show weakness Achaenas might come forward to take his lands.

It was only his land after all that stood between Achaenas and a united Calradia. But until so far Achaenas had made no move that showed any indication of any desire to conquer his lands. And so the two kingdoms build on and on, racing each other to become superior to the other. For the locals, the changes brought forth must've been frightening. The Nords had deployed their first steamboat whilst Achaenas was building a steam train.

_Many wondered for a long time what Achaenas  
__would do with the lands under his command.  
Would he name them after himself? Or would he  
honour the old kingdom of Rhodoks? The questions  
were soon answered when Achaenas made a  
decision. And it had proven to be a most controversial decision._

_He summoned all the nobles and large crowds of citizens to  
the capital. Eager to find out what the announcement was,  
everyone came forward. There, Achaenas declared their lands to be  
named, from that moment on, "The Republic of Calradia".  
And many felt proud, for it embraced the people from all lands, rather than one._

_This is perhaps one of the few occasions where I am willing to admit Achaenas was  
indeed a very shrewd politician as well, for he had basically declared the Nord's  
rule to be right false. And the message obviously wasn't misunderstood by the Nords.  
It was therefore in response that their own king declared their nation to be called,  
henceforth, "The Empire of Calradia"._

_It didn't take long before the first skirmishes erupted. Whether it  
was the Nords, outraged by the insults of the Calradian Republic, or  
Achaenas, realizing his own mortality, started it, but what  
was certain was that this would be his great war, often  
named "The War to end all Wars". Achaenas was intent to finish this and  
unite Calradia. The Nords planned the same._

"Achaenas, I bring news, the Empire has invaded us by sea. Our fortresses are holding but they need reinforcements." The general pondered over the events. Whilst war had already been established as a certainty, he had not expected such a large invasion by sea. Cursing his own foolishness for forgetting the connection between the Nords and the water, he instantly gave two separate orders. "One army shall use our steam trains and invade near the border of northern Swadia."

The men stood all around him, waiting for their orders, as eagerly as they could be."The others go to the fortresses. This will be difficult. I want to drive their armies back into the seas and take away their landings." The men all agreed to their orders with a salute and went their own way. Soldiers said goodbye to their families and friends and set off. "I fear this war… will be a terrible war" Licinus said as he looked at the horizon.

_The first battle after the invasion of the Empire's lands was named  
the Great Clash. Both sides fought with blind fanatical determination.  
Cannonballs flew around the battlefield, armies aimed rifles at each other,  
explosions tore people apart as ragdolls. It was a most bloody sight, as was  
most of the war. Soldiers rushed in tight formations towards each other, their shouts  
not to be heard by the explosions all around them._

The aging general Licinus stood on the edge of the battlefield, his soul growing weary every second. The enemies were as determined as they were to bring this war to an end. A small cavalry unit tried to flank them and immediately charged towards Licinus. Soldiers from all directions rushed to his side and killed most of them. Only one, their own general, stood in front of him. Waving with his hand, he ordered the others to back off.

The large general spoke with a bouldering voice. "I shall not let the Republic conquer my lands. We fight for the freedom of our people and that of Calradia!" Two ideologies had clashed together, two sides opposing each other. "We represent the freedom of the people. We shall give them a future without war, without suffering, without famine! That is the future we will fight for until the ends of our lives!"

The two ran forward, sword clashing against axe. Licinus gracefully avoided the larger axe and slashed the general's shoulder. Grunting and stumbling back, with his hand on his shoulder, he grabbed a saber. He readied his stance again and the two swords clashed, both trying to get an advantage over the other. Barely evading a quick slash, Licinus felt the blade move past his face, blood dripping down.

But he didn't care. Achaenas, his friend, his inspiration, trusted him with this task and losing was not an option. It never was an option. And their swords kept clashing, over and over. The enemy general was a determined enemy with a lot of experience himself. But it was then that Licinus had made a fatal mistake. As the enemy crouched down, by a wound to the leg, Licinus raised his sword, ready to finish it and in that instant the enemy general stabbed him through the chest.

Releasing the sword, Licinus stumbled back slowly. Gasps and shouts were coming from all the men around him. He felt his body shut down, slowly. The enemy general stood up again. He walked over to Licinus and tore his sword out. "You were a worthy opponent. I see now why your Republic is such a dangerous foe." And he walked off again, the soldiers too shocked to attack him. Instantly a young lieutenant leapt forward and lifted him up carefully.

"It's going to okay sir, it's merely a flesh wound." Licinus grabbed his head and forced him to look him in the eyes. "Listen to me, Richard, and listen to me well. I have lived for a long time. I have seen too many wars…" He coughed, blood appearing on his hands. "But I am too old for this. Wars have changed too much. Now, it's your turn. Win this battle Richard and make me proud. And tell… tell Achaenas I'm sorry." And as Richard prepared to argue, Licinus body died.

The Republic was robbed of one of its finest generals.


	19. Ruthless Determination

A few soldiers who had stayed with Licinus since the beginning carried him. They would bring his body back to the capital, where he would receive a grand funeral worthy of only the greatest. Richard took command of the army. And he would prove that he was even more successful than Licinus could ever hope to be. "Listen to me, men. Licinus is dead and the Nords killed him!" Shouts for blood were rising amongst the soldiers.

"Will we let them get away with this?" The soldiers yelled harder and louder. Even the Nords grew frightened at the sound. "Let us go then. March and we shall show them the power of the TRUE rulers of Calradia!" Inspired by their new leader, the armies marched forward. Enemy cavalry was met with ruthless determination for victory. Not a single soldier was spared from the massacre that followed.

Even as his troops surrounded one of the main camps, Richard showed he was not as kind hearted as the others. For him, it was war. And in wars, people die. "Set the camp on fire." Soldiers looked at him shocked, but he was determined. "But sir, there are women and children in there." He looked forward. If he showed mercy, then the supplies and goods could be used against them. "They chose to follow their soldiers."

Hesitantly the soldiers started throwing torches at the camp. It took seconds before the flames started spreading around the camp as screams from the insides could be heard. Richard placed his troops near the exit, with the order to shoot any soldier that came out. And they did come out, in great numbers. "FIRE!" A salvo of shots was released and soldiers fell to the floor. Innocents were scattered amongst them.

_Fear was spreading through the Nordic armies. Whilst they  
knew that the weapons of the Republic were superior to their own,  
they had not expected the cold and ruthless determination of Richard  
and his followers. Camp after camp fell to him as he started  
smashing his way past every fortress, camp and city. He was not there to loot.  
He had come to conquer._

_When word of Licinus' death had first arrived to Achaenas, he  
mourned greatly. He had lost one of his best friends and wisest generals. When  
he heard Licinus had given command to one of his own protégés, he was proud, for he  
knew he would be a good tactician. But when word of his ruthless tactics came,  
he instantly went aboard the next train with reinforcements. Even  
Achaenas knew that if this were to go on, the war with the Nords would grow fiercer than it ever should've grown._

_What Achaenas didn't know was that the Nords had already  
been using such ruthlessness themselves against the  
Republican cities. Achaenas soon learned that Richard had  
already known of the Nordic tactics against their own cities.  
Men were slain on the streets. Women were raped and sold as  
slaves and children were sold as slaves too. It was that  
cold, harsh ruthlessness, which the Republic had seen earlier when the Nords had fought,  
that forced him to be ruthless though.*_

_Whilst he wouldn't allow his soldiers to exact his revenge on villagers that  
chose to surrender, he would kill any that dared to support the enemy army in  
any way. With or without Achaenas' approval, Richard knew what he had to do. And thus when he was  
approached by Achaenas during the siege of the Merchant city, he told his leader what he knew._

"Sir, we have breached the enemy walls. Our troops are ready to attack!" Richard looked at Achaenas, awaiting his order. He came there because he disagreed with his tactics, but with the information, it seemed something had awoken in the general. "Don't kill the innocent" Richard nodded. It was a foolish thing to kill more than they had to. And killing the citizens would only come back to haunt them.

Whilst he feared Achaenas would let his morality cloud his judgment, it didn't. Together with Richard and a squad of highly trained soldiers, they went into the city, fighting in every street, pub, house and alley. The city was stubborn defending every inch. Men and women alike leapt forward, literally throwing themselves against their weapons. Achaenas tried to convince the people to surrender peacefully, but where he was once met with understanding, he was now met with blind fanaticism.

As they fought their way to the heart of the city, Achaenas entered a pub. It was so similar to a situation so long ago. He saw citizens raise swords against him, legs and arms trembling. "Please, drop your weapons. We do not want to hurt you." A skinny man, in his 20s, stepped forward. "You claim you come here to protect us, but tell me then, why did your men kill my mother? She wasn't a warrior, she wasn't opposing them."

Achaenas was taken by surprise as the others stood up as well and aided him. "My mother was staying in a small fortress to the south. Your soldiers burned the fortress down. Innocent men and women died, their only crimes being their existences. What do you say for that, you monster?" Whilst it was true he had heard of Richard's tactics, the burning down of the fortress came as a surprise to him.

He looked to Richard, looking for an answer. "The fortress was in our way. Those men and women had chosen to remain at the soldier's side when they could've run." Achaenas was shocked, stepping back. "Richard… We have a lot to discuss." He turned around. He didn't see Richard raise his hand until it was too late. Until he heard Richard yell "Fire". He turned around and saw his own men shoot the citizens.

"NO! No, Richard, NO!" He marched over to him and punched him in the face. "You murderer, these are not our ways." But Richard stood up, opposing his leader. "Sir, your softness will get us all killed. Our men and women are dying because they believe in your ways. They are dying for you. Yet, you care more about the well being of our enemies than you do about our own people?" And again, two ideals conflicted.

One believed the end justified all means whilst the other did not. "Sir, listen to me, when this war is over, we can finally build a new and safe Calradia. One without war, without famine, without FEAR! Is this not what you wish?" Achaenas placed his hand against his head. "No Richard, not when it is build on the blood of the innocent." Richard snorted in response. "Wars are terrible and people will die, no matter what you do."

"We strive to be better than they are so their people will see who the righteous ones truly are. If we fight like this, it doesn't matter who wins, it's the people of Calradia that lose. It seems you had forgotten that, that even these people are Calradians." Richard couldn't come up with a proper response. Instead he watched as Achaenas left the pub. "From this moment on, I'm replacing you as general. You can go home Richard." He was angry. He was insulted. But he was not in the mood to argue.

"Let's hope your kindness for your enemies won't come at the cost of our people and our future."

*I understand that compared to my previous chapters this might seem a bit... excessive, but this war is supposed to be one of the most terrible wars Calradia has seen. If you think this war is terrible and that both sides have monsters, then at least I know I'm writing it as it is supposed to be.


	20. The Legend of Achaenas

_Even with Richard replaced, the war had only truly started. For  
all the sophisticated kindness Achaenas could show, he stood  
no chance against the brutality of the Nords. Among  
them, one particular Lord, called Gearth, had taken a  
liking to impaling Republican troops unfortunate enough  
to survive the battles. Even until this very day, there are  
people glorifying him as the true hero of  
the Nords, the last line of defence._

Whilst the heart lands of the Republic still had it easy, the surrounding lands that were once parts of Swadia and the Vaegirs had to endure the worst of it all. Nordic steamboats were sent into havens, loaded with explosives. But the Republic endured. Having taken control of Licinus' army, he marched north, zigzagging past the besieged towns and villages whilst crushing the Nords at every chance he received.

It was two years after Licinus' death that the Nords finally started to feel the effects of having a war with an enemy whose fanaticism could match their brutality. The course of the battles changed as every Republican soldier cost him ten of the Empire.

A nervous messenger marched through the halls of the Empire's capital Rivacheg. He passed the guards at three different points before arriving in front of two large doors decorated by flags wearing a Calradian symbol of war and a huge bear. The doors slowly opened and he continued his march inside. It was easy to tell he was scared. How couldn't he be? He had to bring his own king bad news in these dark times.

Nervously he approached before the throne and fell to his knees. "My king, I bring you news from the frontier". His voice trembled. Carefully he raised his hand and saw his king waving his hand, signalling him to speak. "My king, Wercheg has fallen". He trembled. His king did not speak, he didn't even move. Perhaps if he kept his head low he'd be safe. Then he heard the goblet clang on the floor as the wine spilled all over the place.

His king stood up and the last thing he saw was the huge axe splitting his head in two. "Damn that peasant king! Damn him and all those who stand with him!" The king roared through the hall and marched to his halls. Grabbing his sword, he yelled for his steward. "Assemble the troops. We are to relieve Wercheg at once. We've already lost Tihr and Sargoth, we will not lose Wercheg!" As the king stampeded out his hall to prepare, he noticed he was the only one.

"Come then you cowards, with me!" Nobody moved. Instead, it was the steward that approached his king. He spoke softly, trying not to anger the large man. "My liege, we are under siege. The armies of Achaenas are outside these walls." The king stood there, dumbfounded. He couldn't understand how any of it could've happened. The war went so well, with the Nords exploding into the lands of the rebels to the south, the despicable Republic.

And now, their cities has fallen, their great armies scattered and their pride humbled. The king did not speak, he was just trying to grasp what had just happened. He marched to his throne again, not speaking, just thinking. The memories of him running out in front of the infantry were bittersweet ones. He was an old man now. In his lifetime he had seen the man called Achaenas rise from an interesting soldier to an ally to an enemy peasant king.

It seemed as if the new information had drained his energy. He slowly waved his hand to summon his steward to his side. "Tell me, what of the defences? How many men do we have?" The steward looks around the hall. "I'm afraid to inform you that most men here are the majority of what's left. Peasants loyal to your cause now stand on top of the wall, but they lack the discipline of soldiers. It won't last long before the Republicans break through."

An arrow flew through the window, a piece of paper attached to it. One of the servants picked it up and brought it to the steward, who opened it and read it aloud. "To the king of the Nords, please surrender now and prevent unnecessary bloodshed. For the future of your people and that of all Calradia, I implore you to end your resistance and embrace the peace of the Republic.". The King stood up and took the paper out of the steward's hands.

He felt himself rejuvenated as he crumbled the papers. "They take our lands, they take our people and now they dare to take away our honour? Never!"

The King of the Nords, or Emperor as he would have it, lead the final assault himself. These were the finest men he had. With fifty men he smashed through the frontier lines. Achaenas rode out to meet his foe. When they met, both men ordered their troops to halt. They dismounted and stood across each other. The King was surprised at the sight of his foe. "So the peasant king of the Republic stands before me himself. I would've thought you would let your soldiers handle this."

But Achaenas wouldn't allow himself to be provoked. "A suicidal king whose only goals are his own honour and bravado, rather than the people he should protect. You come here now because you wish to die fighting, but what of your people? This is the reason your kingdom and all those that have come before you, could never stand against the true might of Calradia." The king growled, he wasn't as self controlled as Achaenas was.

"I will not let any soldier do this for me. You and I are representatives of our side. You are the old, the corrupt, the decadent and I am the new, the change Calradia always needed. To fulfil both my own dreams and that of my people, I shall slay you myself." The King of the Nords raised his axe and rushed out at Alexander. His attacks, as expected from a Nord, were fierce and brutal. One hit would be enough to crush any part of Achaenas' body.

But Achaenas was fast, agile and younger than the King. Every time the King missed, he would stab him with his short sword before evading again. Soon the armour was pierced with holes and the King, bloodied and fatigued, leaned on his axe. He tried to stand straight and march, but collapsed. A pool of blood spread from under his body. The last of the King's troops formally surrendered. The Empire of Calradia had been dismantled and all power now belonged to the Republic.

_And so Achaenas had officially ended the greatest of  
wars. Calradia had been united under his banner and he  
became a legend. He was Achaenas the Great! And with that  
said, I'm going to end my story as well. I hope this recorder  
will be found by someone. I've already hidden the files safely.  
Now, I'm just waiting for them to end this. Whoever gets  
this, please don't let your fear silence you. You must go on and  
spread the truth._

_And once you are ready for that, travel to the Nordland. There,  
seek Valdr Var, an old friend of mine. He'll understand and he'll  
help. May Achaenas have mercy upon us all!_


End file.
